:::: Lutheran World Service

STEER Rural

The STEER (Social Transformation Economic Empowerment and Risk Reduction) Rural project aims at empowering the socially, economically disempowered men and women from the remote rural communities and enable them to combat the growing challenges affecting their lives.

The rural development project operates in some of the most remote and inaccessible parts of ten districts in West Bengal and Odisha. These districts are highly prone to natural calamities such as drought, flood and cyclone.

The project focuses on the marginalized people in general, those who are poor, vulnerable, who are denied their rights and unable to meet their basic needs. It also focuses on organizing communities and groups around viable development activities and strengthen their capacities to become self reliant.

LWSIT sensitizes both women and men to address the gender discriminatory practices that prevail in the society. Continuous motivation and support enables them to bring change in stereotyped gender role and gender division of labour, increases women's access and control over resources and enhances women's capacity to participate in decision making process.

LWSIT follows participatory approach utilizing the different participatory appraisal techniques enabling the marginalised and excluded people to take active part in planning, implementation and monitoring of the project operation.

Emphasis is given on disseminating information and through interface programs between duty bearers and right holders on availability of various different government sponsored food and social security schemes.

Major activities undertaken

Institutional strengthening and resource mobilization

	Mobilizes people to form organizations or groups through which development interventions in the community is carried out
	CBOs and SHGs are encouraged to mobilize resources from the government and from within the community

Livelihood and Food Security

	CBOs and SHGs are assisted with income generation opportunities with special emphasis to women
	Support groups with income generation activities group farming
	Training and support for sustainable agriculture practice to small and marginal farmers
	Promotes organic farming
	Promotes community managed grain banks

Climate change, natural resources and environment protection

	Creates awareness and develops capacity for effective natural resource management and conservation with a view to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.
	Promotes water and soil conservation measures as well as environmentally sustainable agriculture practices
	Encourage communities to plant trees on available land in order to increase vegetation. Communities in the coastal areas are supported to plant wind breaker plantations
	Supports communities with renewable energy sources for lighting and cooking

Education

	Encourages enrolment of children in formal schools and support them to continue their education
	Operates study centres to provide additional guidance to the formal school children to cope up with their school curriculum
	Operates Non Formal Education centres for illiterate adults and out of school children

Women empowerment

	Organizes Self Help Groups
	Women are trained to take up leadership roles and to develop their capacity to take active part in decision making process
	Organizes gender sensitization programs involving both men and women
	Organizes market oriented vocational trainings
	Women are supported with income generation activities, increasing their economic independence

Capacity building measures

	Training on book keeping
	Training on organizational development
	Training on leadership development
	Training on advocacy and lobbying
	Paralegal training

Project Unit

Odisha

West Bengal